Dr. Tair Faradov, TEW-CCA Co-Coordinator Azerbaijan
Dr. Tair Faradov, a psychologist, is a Director and Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for Social Research (ICSR) in Baku. His research interests include public opinion and mass attitudes, youth and gender issues, democratization and civil society development, social development and migration. He has gained extensive experience in large-scale international collaborative research projects such as World Values Survey (WVS) in Azerbaijan, Principal Investigator (2011-2012) for European Values Study (EVS), Program Director for Azerbaijan and member of EVS Council (2006 2008). He has received individual research grants, e.g. MacArthur Foundation, NATO EAPC Fellowships Programme, RSS/OSSF, IREX/RSEP. He was a consultant for research projects commissioned by UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, Asian Development Bank, UN Volunteers etc. He is a member of the board of Azerbaijan Sociologists’ Association.
Prof. Dr. Rajab Sattarov, TEW-CCA Co-Coordinator Azerbaijan
Prof. Dr. Rajab Sattarov is Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Psychology, Baku State University. His research interests focus on youth, gender and family issues, civil society development, the transformation of values and public opinion. He is very experienced in large-scale international collaborative projects (“World Values Survey (WVS) in Azerbaijan” 2011-2012; European Values Study (EVS), Fieldwork Director, 2006-2008). He was coordinator and consultant for research projects of the Centre for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children’s Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, European Commission, World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, etc. He participated as a senior researcher in Baku State University’s projects, e.g. “Problematic Situational Factors of the Higher Education System in Azerbaijan” (2001-2004), ”The Dynamics of Social Orientations of the Youth in Azerbaijan” (1996 – 2000),“The Dynamics of Social Expectations of the Youth”(1994 – 1995), etc.
Vladimir Rodin, Ph.D. fellow within TEW-CCA project
Vladimir Rodin, sociologist, and researcher in QAFQAZ Research Company. He graduated from Baku State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and master’s degree in Sociology of Management. Name of his thesis: “The Main Priorities of the Human Resources Policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. In 2015 he became a PhD student at Baku State University. His research project is: “The Theory and Practice of Research of Social Problems in Azerbaijan”. He was participant in many trainings and programs as: Leadership Training by IRI, Social Science (qualitative and quantities methods) 3 years trainings – by CRRC Azerbaijan, Caucuses Conflict Culture I, Caucuses Conflict Culture II, Programs by DAAD. As a successful participant of these trainings and programs he was awarded with several certificates.
Why TEW-CCA project? The research question of my PhD thesis focuses on showing historical stages of development in Azerbaijan by studying social problems of the past 26 years after Azerbaijan’s‘ independence. Especially, the methods used concerning a problem of unemployment in various sectors of society, including youth; how these methods make it possible to assess the situation. It is very helpful to have the possibility to participate in such a project and to have the opportunity to participate in each stage of work, to learn how to design the questionnaire in view of the further multivariate analysis of the data to be obtained. It is also a good chance to discuss main elements of my Ph.D. research plans with colleagues from other countries (Germany, Georgia, and Tajikistan) and to receive very useful advice.
Aysham Balayeva, Ph.D. fellow within TEW-CCA project
Aysham Balayeva, lecturer at the Baku State University and Azerbaijan Tourism and Management University. Also, she is a deputy of the head at the Ilyas Afandiyev International Foundation. She graduated from Baku State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Social work (Honors diploma) and master’s degree in Methods and Methodology of Sociological Researches (Honors diploma). In 2015 she became a Ph.D. student at Baku State University, Department of Sociology. Her research project is: “Social Adaptation of Young Persons Released from Prison: Family, Education, Work, Social Activity”.
She participated in many trainings and programs such as Training of Trainers Program under the Twinning Project “Development of social service provision in Azerbaijan”, “Training for the health personnel providing support services to the victims of GBV”, “Methods of research”, “ Social work research methods”. As a successful participant in these trainings and programs, she was awarded several certificates. As an expert and researcher she has been involved in a large number of projects such as: «Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)», “Investigating of the risk factors of the NCD” (STEP), “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” (HBSC), “Palliative care needs assessment in Azerbaijan”. Also, she has two independent research: “The study of young people’s attitude towards early marriages”, “The problem of social inclusion of older people in Azerbaijan”. She worked also as a project manager in two projects at The Youth Foundation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan: “Keep calm! Acting is going”…, “Science begins from the investigation”.
Why TEW-CCA project? The research question of my Ph.D. thesis focuses on young persons. As a lecturer every day I meet students and faced their many different problems and questions. As a sociologist, I analyze their behavior, situations, and problems within myself. Now I have a chance to investigate young people especially students in this project. For me, it is very helpful to have the possibility to participate in such international researches. I love my job and when engaged in research it makes me happy.
Dr. Ainur Rashidova, TEW-CCA Research Associate
Aynura Rashidova is a sociologist, currently, she is a chief consultant at State Mandatory Health insurance Agency and since 2002 researcher at the International Center for Social Research (ICSR). She graduated from Baku State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and master’s degree in Sociology of Management. Furthermore, she received a master’s degree in Project Management from George Washington University. From 2013-2014 she completed the master programme Master of Science in Public Health at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium. Regarding her professional development, she received quite a large number of trainings organized in Baku and abroad. As an expert and project coordinator she has been involved in a large number of projects such as: “Establishment of Diabetes Schools in Azerbaijan”, «Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)», “Non-Communicable Disease”, «COPE and supporting management», «Development of the educational sector- observation investigation», «Disability children: problems in education», «European Values Study», «World Public Opinion», «Eurasians Monitor». She is the author of more than 20 articles in scientific journals published in Azerbaijan and abroad. Her main fields of research are sociology, health, education, family, and welfare problems.
Why TEW-CCA project? When I am thinking deeply about this, I realize how great it is to be a sociologist. Because everything around becomes interesting for you and you are starting to research the problem in a wide range with its opportunities and consequences. And then you are starting to analyze the real situation trying to find approaches which will be applied to solve peoples‘ problems. When I started my career in 2002, I taught at the Baku State University. Surrounded by students with their own interesting life journey I was inspired to research the way which has passed. Every time I faced a lot of discussions which describe different life cases, it means the way of transition from school to a job or career. It is an important reason to be in this project and to have an opportunity to understand the real problem for our country in the transition from school to a job, to research more deeply every stage of their pathway. One of the goals to research the reasons why some people are not able to continue their education as well. I think after receiving the education people need to find the right job for themselves, which will be able to make them happy and one that they genuinely enjoy doing. To be successful in life, I accept as true every person to do what actually makes them happy. If people were stimulated to work in a field they loved, I would suppose we would have a happier workforce.
Aynura Hajizadeh, TEW-CCA Research Associate
Aynur Hajizada, a social worker in Mental Health Center. She graduated from Baku State University, The Faculty of Social Sciences and Psychology, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Social work. In 2014 she became a master degree student at Trakya University Turkey. She was a participant in many trainings and programs as Leadership Training by IRI, Social Science (qualitative and quantities methods) 3 years training – by CRRC Azerbaijan, Caucuses Conflict Culture I, Caucuses Conflict Culture II, Programs by DAAD. As a successful participant in these trainings and programs, he was awarded several certificates.
Why TEW-CCA project? This project is very interesting to the scientific community, from the point of view that it sets the task to study the very important issue: “Transition from Education to Work”. As a sociologist, the results of the researches in each country are very interesting to me. I’m happy to use my theoretical and practical skills to achieve the goals of the project.